Even though i have worked with Altech for years, I didn't really know much about the corporation itself. As always, a quick search online gave me all the information I needed!

Altech Corporation was started in 1986 by the late Heinz W. Meise and focused on sourcing hard to find replacement parts for European manufacturing, automation and material handling equipment.

Once they realized the demand for European control components, Altech modified their strategy to become a multi-line supplier. Altech Corporation has a full staff available for technical support, design assistance and product certifications for North America. I know one of our great contacts at Altech, Klaus Tum, is very involved in a number of certification programs, including UL.

Altech Corp. is ISO 9001 certified and currently supplies a wide range of products!

• Industrial circuit breakers
• Altech terminal blocks are among the highest rated and lowest priced on the market!
• Industrial DC power supplies
• Disconnect switches
• Safety relays
• Ferrules
• Industrial Enclosures
• Much more!!!

Search all of our Altech Corporation products now!

Idec recently announced that, effective immediately, they are discontinuing the HS1E series of safety interlock switches.

No need to worry though, the recommended replacement is the Idec HS1L series!

The IDEC HS1L series has increased locking strength of 3000N and offers six contacts with easy-to-wire termination. HS1L is designed to work in applications with large machines that have heavy doors or gates and all models are equipped with a manual lock-release key and an LED indicator.

The indicator is wired independently which gives you flexibility and the screw terminals are easy to wire. No barriers on the sides of the contact terminal enable wiring from the side, making it easier for crimp-terminal connections as well.

Marshall Wolf Automation is an authorized IDEC distributor for their complete line of safety switches, relays, industrial light towers, industrial DC power supplies, operator interfaces and more.

The RX ThyReX is an extremely compact industrial SSR that is fully pluggable to make installation and servicing easy. This zero switching relay can be used for resistive and inductive loads. The position of the M4 mounting holes makes this solution interchangeable with standard hockey-puck relays. The control plug can have either screw or spring terminals. The power connection can be a screw type plug, a spring type plug or an open two-spade FASTON solution that comes with safety covers (no plugs). Both screw and spring type power plugs have a specially designed security leaver to lock/unlock. To facilitate assembly, the RX ThyReX can be ordered with its own thermal pad (optional).

Panel building can be a time-intensive operation as each SSR needs to be individually mounted and wired. The ThyRex Series is an innovative fast-connect SSR from Carlo Gavazzi.  To read more about solid state relays, check out this blog post from one of my co-workers!

Mounting and wiring are done simultaneously, thus speeding up the installation process.   For more solid state relays, check out our selection here: SSRs  Marshall Wolf Automation can help with your technical questions as well and we are now open early and stay open later to meet the needs of our east and west coast customers.  Contact us at 800-325-9653 (WOLF) from 7:30 am to 6:pm CST or email us at sales@wolfautomation.com

Direct Control with Motor Overload Protection, the motor is started using the IBYSS® as a manual motor controller complete with a UL Listed Class 10 Motor Overload Device in the "LINE" position.

Inverters provide an economical means of regulating the speed and performance of motors. Inverters have gained a prominent place in today’s industrial and commercial arena. But as dependable as modern inverters are, they still malfunction and cease operation, generally at the worst possible moment. For this reason, several methods of isolating the inverter have been developed. Until now these methods involved expensive and unreliable contactors, relays, and timers. Advance Controls' Patented IBYSS ® (Inverter Bypass Safety Switch) eliminates all of these unreliable methods of removing the power from the inverter drive.

The IBYSS ® is a manually operated "Positive Break" switch. It does not rely on relays, contactors, or timers; all of which can burn out and stop the application from running. The "Positive Break" feature mechanically ramps the contacts open. The IBYSS ® does not use springs (as used in contactors and relays) to open the contacts.

Should the inverter malfunction, the IBYSS ® is manually switched from the “DRIVE” to the “LINE” position. This redirects power around the inverter straight to the motor and completely removes all power from the inverter. This provides total isolation of the inverter from both the incoming power line and the outgoing line to the motor. Since the power to the inverter is completely cut off, the inverter can be serviced or even removed, while the application is operating at full

speed / full power. The IBYSS ® is the answer for a low cost, direct acting, straight forward and reliable means of providing an inverter bypass and total isolation of the inverter during a malfunction while still providing full power directly to the application. The IBYSS ® is also furnished with a "TEST" position. This "TEST" position allows power into the inverter for setup and diagnostics, but does not allow power to the application. The "TEST" position simplifies the installation and maintenance of the inverter.

• 4 position IBYSS (LINE / OFF / DRIVE / TEST)
• Direct Control - Full speed / full power in the "LINE" position, Manual operation with positive break IBYSS contacts
• No contactors, relays or coils to consume power or burn out
• Panel mount disconnect style handle assembly meets OSHA 1910
• Terminal strip included for easy field wiring
• Factory assembled in an enclosure for easy field installation
• Complete isolation of the Inverter in the "LINE" position
• Gold flash auxiliary contacts for reliable control signals
• Components UL cUL Listed / CE
• U.S. Patent #5,721,449

When down time is not an option with critical equipment uptime is crucial.  Make sure to your High Performance AC Drive is equiped with by pass system, to allow up time when service or repair of a VFD is needed.  This prevents down time and maintains profitability.  Contact Marsahll Wolf Automation today to assist in sizing a system for your needs.  We also carry 8 lines of VFD's to create a system that works for your needs.  Marshall Wolf Automation is your authorized your industrial automation distributor for ACI by pass system. Contact us today at 847-658-8130 or check us out on the web at www.wolfautomation.com

Did you know that Leuze light curtains are made in the USA?

Leuze has a production facility right in their US headquarters which is located in New Hudson, Michigan. They offer same day shipment of custom length and configuration safety light curtains! Leuze also carries a large inventory of standard Leuze products right in Michigan.

Leuze also has an R&D center in Rochester, New York. This center is a world leader in optics and imaging for industrial and pharmaceutical applications.

Leuze has three main product categories; detect, identify and protect.

Here is an overview of each product category:

Detect - Any type of sensor you can imagine! Photoelectrics, ultrasonics, inductive - a complete line.

Identify - Bar code readers, distance measuring, data transmission, machine vision systems.

Protect - Everything safety! Safety light curtains, safety relays, safety switches, safety laser scanners, safety controllers and more.

Marshall Wolf Automation is an authorized industrial automation distributor for the complete line of Leuze Electronics. Don't forget our in-house tech support and fantastic inside sales team... we are the obvious choice when you need to detect, identify or protect!

Search all of our Leuze Electronics products now!

I took the following questions off of the Pepperl+Fuchs/Bebco Purge Tutorial:

1. What is purging? Purging is the process of supplying enclosures with compressed air or inert gas at the proper flow and pressure in order to reduce the hazardous gas inside the enclosure to a safe level.

2. What is pressurization? Pressurization is the process of bringing compressed air or inert gas inside an enclosure to a pressure where there is no ingress of hazardous gasses or combustible gas. Purging and pressurization are required in a Class I, gas atmosphere. Only pressurization is required in a Class II dust atmosphere.

3. What is used to purge/pressurize? The most common and practical protective gas is compressed instrument quality air that contains no more than trace amounts of combustible vapor. Inert gases, such as nitrogen or argon are also acceptable.

4. What is the pressure requirement? Most purging applications require a minimum enclosure pressure of 0.10 inches (2.5 mm) of water. In some circumstances, a minimum enclosure pressure of 0.50 inches (12.7 mm) of water is required to protect against ignitable dust. In all cases, a higher enclosure pressure should be maintained to create a reasonable safety factor. In rare circumstances, enclosure pressures as high as 2.5 inches (63.5 mm) of water may be required to offset sudden atmospheric pressure fluctuations, such as those created near missile launching or off-shore oil drilling platforms.

5. How much purging gas is used? Average protective gas consumption during pressurization at a 0.10 inch (2.5 mm) enclosure pressure should fall somewhere between 0.1 to 3.5 scfh per cubic foot (2.83 to 99.11 l/hr) of enclosure volume. Use depends on the protected enclosure's integrity and normal pressure setting. Use is also dependent on the quantity and size of covers and doors as well as devices which penetrate the surface. Advanced forms of protection such as cooling or dilution may require continuous flow rates of 30 to 100 scfm (849.38 to 2831.26 l/m). Purging requires a much higher flow rate than pressurization, but only for a short period of time.

6. What kinds of enclosures can be purged? Any enclosure can be purged, but enclosures featuring gasketing and multiple door fasteners are best for purging. Pepperl+Fuchs BebcoEPS recommends enclosures which meet or exceed the National Electrical Manufacturer's Association rating of Type 4 or Type 12.

7. What kinds of devices can be purged? Any basic electrical device can be purged, as long as all "live" or energized components can be isolated from the surrounding environment. Devices such as push-buttons, relays, timers and programmable controllers need to be installed in a sealed enclosure. Motors require a totally enclosed housing.

8. How do I access equipment in an enclosure? Equipment mounted in the protected enclosure can be accessed if the area is known to be non-hazardous, or if all power to the protected equipment has been de-energized. However, a cooling period may be required before accessing hot components, such as transformers or variable speed drives, which would otherwise be unacceptable for use in the hazardous location.

9. Equipment mounted through the surface of a protected enclosure may require a sealed access door if the equipment is not suitable for exposure to the surrounding atmosphere. Advanced pressurization systems, like Pepperl+Fuchs Bebco Rapid Exchange Purging Systems can maintain a positive pressure by increasing the flow of protective gas while the access door is open.

Marshall Wolf Automation is your authorized Pepperl+Fuchs distributor and we can help you with your purging applications!

A manual motor starter is basically an ON-OFF switch with overload protection. A manual motor starter is a motor controller that operates from a toggle handle or push button that is operated by hand.

TYPE MBS 25 APPLICATION DATA:   Manual Disconnect with Short Circuit Trip,  MBS 25 A Manual Disconnect and Starter, Type MBS, can fulfill the function of a Breaker/Disconnect in a combination starter. In such applications, instantaneous short circuit trip is usually desired. Type MBS standard instantaneous short circuit trip has higher interruption capability. Combination units with MBS 25 were tested to IC5,000 Amp 600V

• Manufactured by EE Controls
• Available in single phase/2 pole or three phase/3 pole
• 600 Volts
• Open or with outdoor dust tight/water tight enclosure (IP55)
• Thermal overload relay ranges: 0.25 to 25 amp
• Very low cost!
• High Operational Safety factor
• Reliable AEG standards of quality
• Panel mount or DIN rail mount
• 600 Volt MCP
• Manual Starter

When cost effective motor starters are desired, consider the AEG line of EE Controls brand motor starters.  Extremely cost effective for voltage ranges from 200-600Volts, maximum of 25 amp capacity.  Contact www.wolfautomation.com today to review or call us at 1-847-658-8130.  Call us today, we can help

Okay, I can't resist . . . if you need the force to be with you, you need to be in contact with Marshall Wolf Automation!  That's where to find the best prices on Idec's force guided relays, the RF1V series!

Idec RF1V Series force guided relay have mechanically linked contacts allowing you to use in safety related circuits.  Available in four or six pole models, all relays have 6A form-A contacts. RF1V can be mounted directly on printed circuit board or can use DIN RAIL or PCB mount socket.

Idec RF1V series is UL recognized, TUV rated and CE marked.  The contacts of a force guided relay are forced to open and close by a guide connected to the armature.  Force guided relays are relays used in safety circuits to detect failures such as contact welding and damage to the contact spring.

Force guided relays are used in safety circuits in combination with interlock switches, light curtains and emergency stop switches to control outputs. What a coincidence! We also carry all of these products...

Due to requirements of standard EN50205, a force guided relay has independent NO and NC contacts. If a NO contact welds, a NC contact will not close even when the relay coil is turned off (de-energized) and must maintain a gap of at least 0.5 mm. Furthermore, if a NC contact welds, a NO contact will not close when the relay is turned on (energized) and must maintain a gap of at least 0.5 mm. 

Call us today at 800-325-9653 for all of your relay needs!

The contacts of a force guided relay are forced to open and close by a guide connected to the armature. 

Force guided relays are relays used in safety circuits to detect failures such as contact welding and damage to the contact spring.

Force guided relays are used in safety circuits in combination with interlock switches, light curtains and emergency stop switches to control outputs. What a coincidence! We also carry all of these products...

Force guided relays can also be used to expand outputs for safety relay modules and safety controllers.

Idec's RF1V force guided relays and SF1V sockets offer you a complete line of force guided relays and sockets.

Marshall Wolf Automation is your authorized IDEC distributor for their complete line of industrial DC power supplies, industrial stack lights, pushbuttons, relays and much more.